If you are looking for a laugh and a fun night out, we suggest you grab your tickets to Stranger to Hard Work. The Firehall Arts Centre is kicking off its 34th season with the comedic talent of Cathy Jones. Cathy is the winner of the Gemini Award and co-creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and is the toast of Newfoundland. Stranger To Hard Work is a one-woman show in which Cathy shares her life experiences and unique perspective on a variety of topics including money, food, sex, aging, annoying people in your life and our favourite competitive Facebook posts. The show mixes stand up comedy with sketch comedy and will then turn around and delve into the often hilarious struggle called life! Stranger To Hard Work premieres on Wednesday, September 28th and runs till October 8th at the Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets are available online from $25. For those wishing to see the show during the day, there are a number of matinees lined up. For what people are saying about this show, we invite you to check out the write up in the Georgia Straight for starters. It will give you a great run down and having attended opening night, the show is hilarious! You will laugh your ass off and honestly, we can’t wait for the book she refers to in her show. Highly recommend this show.
Cathy Jones Brings ‘Stranger To Hard Work’ To The Firehall Arts Centre September 28 – October 8
5 Sep
Foto Friday – Vancouver Mural Fest – Amazing Street Art
26 Aug
Did you catch Vancouver’s Inaugural Mural Fest on Saturday, August 20th? We caught some of it and were excited by the energy, artistry and collaboration that went into this amazing event. If you missed the festival, you have ample time to take a walk and/or cycle anytime and take in the newest murals created on the East side of the city. Many of the murals are located in and around the Mount Pleasant area, but there are a few spread out a bit further like the walls of MakerLabs. We actually had the pleasure of meeting one of the artists, Ben Tour, just prior to the inaugural event whose mural is now located at 49th Parallel Coffee on Main Street. We enjoyed a fun evening hosted by Ford Canada celebrating the Vancouver Mural Fest with a scavenger hunt and an opportunity to drive the new Ford Fusion 2017. The icing on the cake for that evening was the opportunity to create our own graffiti street art under the guidance of Ben Tour, but we won’t be showcasing ours. We’ll leave that to the true artists. Speaking of which, we have included some photos of some of the new murals that went up during the Vancouver Mural Fest. There are some 40 odd murals so these photos are only a small representation of what was created, but we have to say the polar bear in a bottle is our personal favourite. We understand this was created by an international artist, but the message within the bottle speaks volumes. We look forward to checking out more of the murals and encourage you to take a walk and/or cycle to see what’s been created. There are, of course, lots of stops along the way to refresh, be it beer, coffee or ice cream along the way. We are looking forward to seeing what next year brings and give high marks to all those that helped make this event happen in Vancouver.
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Vancouver Fringe Festival Presents Give It Up At The Cultch September 8-18, 2016
24 Aug
The Vancouver Fringe Festival happens September 8th to September 18th at various venues around the City. Another upcoming show we have our eye on is the premiere of comedian Morgan Brayton’s one-person show ‘Give It Up’. Morgan has been working away for 30 years in film, television, theatre and comedy. She is now questioning her life and more specifically if this is it? She wants to know what happened to her big break? Did she miss it? Why hasn’t SNL called yet? In her one-woman show, Morgan weaves decades of performing experiences and anecdotes along with career highs and lows. She has quit the industry several times, only to return (three times now and counting). She has turned her life’s work into a one-hour comedy show which is a mix of true stories peppered with portrayals of outlandish characters met along her career path. Morgan Brayton is also a Canadian Comedy Award nominee and Vancouver Fringe Fest Critic’s Choice Award winner. You are invited to check out her one-woman show which is taking place at The Cultch on September 8th at7:15 pm, September 10th at 8:45 pm, September 14th (5:00 pm for a half price show), Thursday September 15th at 10:30 pm, Friday, September 16th at 6:45 pm and Sunday, September 18th at Noon. Tickets are $14 plus a $5 Vancouver Fringe Festival Membership and are available online at VancouverFringe.com.
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KnifeWear Moves To Permanent Home At 4215 Main Street
11 Aug
Knifewear moves from Pop Up Shop on East Hastings to their permanent home at 4215 Main Street. If you love to cook, then this is the store for you. They have amazingly beautiful quality knives from Japan. Their Grand Opening is now underway with some special events lined up for the opening. August 11 – 16 they will be hosting a Knifewear Garage Sale. Twice a year, owner, Kevin Kent, travels to Japan to meet with blacksmiths and sources out one-of-a-kind finds, some lightly used samples knives and a few unusual items thrown in for good measure. We understand prices start from $75 for the Garage Sale. On August 20th, they will have on hand a 27th generation Master Blacksmith, Moritaka Hamono from 9:00 am to 11:00 am who will be available to personalize your knife. As an added bonus, knives are currently 10% off at all locations and online at KnifeWear.com until the end of August. Stop by and check out their permanent home which is in the midst of many great shops on Main Street.
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Til Death – The Six Wives of Henry VIII At The Rio Theatre September 8–18, 2016
9 Aug
The Vancouver Fringe Festival is coming September 8-18, 2016 and will be showcased at various venues throughout the City. One show that caught our eye is ‘Til Death’ – The Six Wives of Henry VIII which will take the stage at the Rio Theatre September 8 – 18, 2016. This show was Pick of the Fringe in 2012 and is a fast paced one woman show showcasing the six wines of Henry VIII. You will meet the Betrayed Wife, The Scheming Wife, The Peacemaker, The Ugly German, The Tarty One and the One In Love with Someone Else. We understand that the show starts off in the afterlife in a bizarre waiting room of sorts. One by one, the wives of Henry VIII arrive, much to the shock and dismay of each previous wife. What culminates is the heated frenzy of an ex-wives club where these women swap stories, toss Anne Boleyn’s head around, pick on the ugly German one, and, most importantly, fight for the right to be acknowledged as Henry’s true bride and eternal partner. But when Henry arrives, everything changes. This production is brought to you by Monster Theatre and under the direction of Tara Travis who is an actor-writer-puppeteer and artistic producer with a long list of works to her name.
What people are saying about Til Death:
“Travis’s energetic charm and flashes of emotional depth impress.”
Colin Thomas, Georgia Straight
“Travis puts on a dazzling display of comedy acting.”
Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald
Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII gets under way at the Rio Theatre on September 8th and runs till September 18th. Tickets are available online at Vancouver Fringe Festival.
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Exhibit Opening Every Day in Every Way At The Cultch Gallery August 4th
3 Aug
The Gallery at The Cultch invites you to an opening reception this Thursday, August 4th. It is a group exhibition from Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture which features artists living with disabilities. We are thrilled to see some great artists in this mix including one we’ve featured here at ILiveInEastVan.com, that being L.J. Throstle. Other artists include Deborah Leigh, whose work is pictured to the left, Dawn Margaret Enman, Take5 and Trish Smith. All the artists will be on hand for this reception which kicks off at 6:00 pm and runs till 8:00 pm. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend. If you miss the opening reception, the exhibit will run until August 27th.
Image by Deborah Leigh
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Summer Fun With Drive-In Movies
5 Jul
Looking for fun things to do this summer? Well we have one thing to add to your list of summer fun. Wesgroup & Fresh Air Cinema are bringing back the River District Drive-In movies every weekend this summer. Starting Saturday, July 9th and every Saturday to August 6th, load up the car for $20 (up to 8 people) and see a great line up of movies including:
July 9th • Office Space
July 16th •Monty Python & The Holy Grail
July 23rd •Aladdin
July 30th •Grease
August 6th •Top Gun
If you are looking for FREE family fun, then you are in luck. Starting Sunday, August 7th and every Sunday in August, River District will be showing the following family movies, yes for free:
August 7th • The Jungle Book
August 14th • Zootopia
August 21st • Frozen
August 28th • Angry Birds Movie
The Drive-In is located at 3650 E. Kent Avenue South which is located just west of Boundary Way and before Kinross Street in SE Vancouver. Gates open at 6:30 pm and the movie gets under way at dusk (approx. 8:00 pm). River District will provide you with the FM station for audio, so a working radio/FM station will round out your experience. We understand there is space for 250 cars, but these events are first come first served. So if you are keen, best to arrive early. For more information, visit River District which includes a map of the location for those not familiar with the area.
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Surreal Theatre: An Interactive Roaming Theatre June 28 to September 30th
22 Jun
Something very cool is happening just across the East van line. It’s called Surreal Theatre which is an interactive roaming theatre which takes place in the backstreets and alleys of Gastown. Audience members follow the story and characters wherever they go as well as engaging with them to help progress the story. How fun is that? Unlike conventional stage theatre, Surreal Theatre brings the audience face-to-face with the story and characters. The story itself goes a little like this “Tom and Charlie haven’t spoken in years. But a chance meeting in Gastown thrusts them back into each other’s lives. Their own perspectives on life have changed. But they still understand one another better than they know themselves, forcing them to confront choices they couldn’t have on their own. Tom must decide whether he should pursue the career opportunity he’s been working towards his whole life. Charlie’s reflections ultimately lead her to rediscover her true passions in life.” This dramatic comedy is based on the real life experiences of playwrights Nick and Darby Steeves, which offers a glimpse into the lives of 20 somethings living in present day Vancouver. The show runs every Tuesday and Friday from June 28th to September 30th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and available online at Surreal Theatre or by calling 604-809-7516.
Photo Credit: George Lawson Photography
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A Storytelling Cabaret At The Imperial Theatre June 23rd
20 Jun
There is a very interesting event happening this week at The Imperial Theatre. It is a Storytelling Cabaret. If you are in your 20s, this one’s for you. You are being asked if “You ever got lost in Europe? Failed college Theatre History? Finally learnt Hotel California on the guitar? (No, but I did actually rewrite the words to the song as a kid. No I don’t know why). Or just have one of “those summers”?” You are invited for an evening of storytelling and music with young people from and currently in foster care to celebrate all that is right and wrong with being in your twenties. This event is part of the Write the Future campaign, which is a Fostering Change initiative that includes community leaders, youth and members of the public to come together in support of youth aging out of foster care. As part of the Write the Future campaign, the Fostering Change initiative invites community leaders, youth, and members of the public to come together in support of youth aging out of foster care. The long list of talent lined up for this week’s event includes:
CHARLES DEMERS
ANGELA STERRITT
IVAN COYOTE
GARY JONES
RIEL HAHN
MO DHALIWAL
SARA BYNOE
JANEY LEW
VERDANN EVANS
MADELAINE MACCALLUM
PEREGINE FALLS
TONYE AGANABA
DJ NIÑA MENDOZA
The event takes place at the Imperial Theatre, 319 Main Street. Tickets are $15 in advance and available online at Fostering Change.ca. Show gets under way at 7:00 pm.
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Car Free Day Sunday, June 19th On Commercial Drive & Main Street
15 Jun
Car Free Day began over 10 years ago on Commercial Drive. The idea of organizers was to reclaim the streets and oppose highway expansion and more traffic. Car Free Day has now expanded to several neighbourhoods and in East Van will be held on Commercial Drive and on Main Street. These festivals are 100% organized by local volunteers and each festival has a unique flavor and is a family friendly event. There is lots to see and do for all ages. We have set out some of the highlights for this Sunday’s event at both locations.
Commercial Drive (Venables to Grandview on Commercial Drive) Noon–7:00 pm
Car Free Day on Commercial Drive will span 15 blocks from Venables to Grandview and include an array of artisans, street patios, vendors, musicians and activities for all ages. Here is some of what you can expect at this year’s Car Free Day On The Drive:
Family Fun Zone filled with free activities at Charles Street
Wishing Wellness Garden At Napier Street
CiTR Radio 101.9FM and Discorder Magazine
Swordplay Demos by Academie Duello – School of Modern Swordplay
Bike tune up and bike race By Landyachtz Longboards
DJ Soo at The Venables Stage
Kitchener At the Public Domain Stage
The Carnival Band Parade at 5:30 pm
Letter Writing With Post A Letter Social Activity Club At 6th Avenue
Art Making Corner With Opus Art Supplies at The Napier Greenway
A Drum Circle by Paranada Traders
Note: For those planning to cycle to the event, there will be a free bike valet service provided by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST).
Main Street (Broadway to 30th on Main Street) Noon–7:00 pm
On Main Street, you will find lots of mini-festivals, community-supported stages with dozens of bands, multiple kids zones, artisan markets and much more. The Main Street Festival takes up some 21 blocks. Some of the highlights of this year’s festival include:
Broadway: The Beaumont Studios Festival Zone
Community Police Street Hockey
TransLink Vintage Bus
Startup Zone
LOVE Leave Out Violence Mini-Festival
Enroot – Meals on Demand
Bohemia Gallery
Vancouver Performing Stars
The Granville Island Toy Company Children’s Zone
Street Fantasy Garden Fashion Show & Village
Neptoon Records Stage
Giving Gifts Festival Zone
Canvas Homemade Artisan Group
Groundwerk x De Radio Stage at Car Free Day
Sonic Planet Rock School Stage
The Reef Soca Block Party
Red Cat Records
Arts Off Main Gallery
Come out and celebrate Vancouver’s diverse neighbourhoods and our communities. These events are free and will go ahead rain or shine. For more information on the events, visit Car Free Day.
Photo Credit: Car Free Day
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